Opposition…
It has not been easy being an Everton fan over recent years but, after decades starved of success and a period of uncertainty, anxiety and concern over their club’s very future, there are signs that things might be heading in the right direction.
Of course, relative to the vast majority of football clubs in this country, Everton have thrived. The Blues have not been out of the top division since 1954/55 - an unbroken 70-year stay beaten only by Arsenal.
In that time, Everton have won four First Division titles, three FA Cups, a European Cup Winners’ Cup and played in European competition on multiple other occasions.
The Liverpool-based club has been represented by some of the best players England has ever produced, including 1966 FIFA World Cup winner Alan Ball, England strikers Gary Lineker and Wayne Rooney, and played at one of the most atmospheric stadiums in the country in the historic Goodison Park.
On the other hand, Everton supporters have not seen their team lift a major trophy since the FA Cup in 1995, watched their cross-city rivals Liverpool re-emerge to win domestic and European titles galore, and, in recent years, seen the club’s on-field performances and off-field financial situation dominate the headlines for the wrong reasons.
Nearly three decades on from Paul Rideout’s Wembley winner against Manchester United, lifting another major trophy still seems a tough ask in the short-term, but on and off the pitch there appears to be some significant light at the end of the proverbial tunnel.
Firstly, the American Friedkin Group - who also own Italian Serie A club AS Roma - completed its takeover of Everton in December 2024, ending the turbulent tenure of Farhad Moshiri and allowing everyone connected with the club to concentrate on securing their Premier League status ahead of next summer’s exciting move from Goodison Park to a new 52,000-capacity riverfront stadium at the city’s Bramley-Moore Dock.
Sean Dyche was sacked as manager in January, with the side sitting perilously close to the relegation zone, just one point clear, prompting the remarkable return of David Moyes, who had previously been in charge of the club between 2002 and 2013.
Former West Ham boss Moyes has overseen an incredible resurgence at Goodison over the last couple of months, with the Toffees now unbeaten in eight in the Premier League - a run that includes victory over Tottenham and a draw with runaway league-leaders Liverpool - and 16 points above Ipswich Town in 18th.
With top-flight football all-but confirmed for next season, the next step for Moyes and Everton will surely be looking to mark their first season in their new home with an improved finished in the table, and perhaps even and end to their long wait for silverware...